Lost In Time
by SwitchyWitch17
Summary: Ginny, Hermione, Harry and Ron go back in time to the Marauders time at school to try and change Harry's future - Will it all work out or will it not? First fic - Be nice please :3 And thank you if you read it! :D
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ginny Weasley was an accomplished sneak; you had to be to live with the 6 Weasley sons. She'd had to learn to sneak around and find things out from her dad so she could keep her mum occupied when he was experimenting in the shed. She'd had to find the perfect place for her diary so that other sneaks, i.e. the Weasley brothers, couldn't read it.

This was a completely different situation though. This time she had a perfectly good reason for being a sneak.

She had used a time turner and had gone back in time to when Lily and James Potter had been in their 6th year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Ginny wasn't just going back in time and sneaking around for the fun of it though, she had a job to do.

Her job was to deliver seven books about James and Lily's son, Harry Potter's life. She was to leave them on Lily's bed with a spell on them making sure that they could be seen by no one else but Lily, and with a note telling her to find James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Alice Smith, Frank Longbottom, Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore and Regulus Black and bring them to the room of requirement straight after dinner but to not tell anyone why they were going there.

So here begins our story, Ginny Weasley suddenly appeared in the girls toilets on the fourth floor.

Sighing, she peeked her head round the cubicle wall to check that the coast was clear and a few second later she strolled out of the cubicle. A few minutes later there was a splash in the same cubicle and a whispered "_Oh balls!_" and Ron Weasley's head appeared round the cubicle wall.

"Why in the name of Merlin's saggy underwear did I end up in the toilet?" He grumbled, walking over to where Ginny stood waiting, dripping.

"Because you're just amazing Ronald", Hermione said sarcastically, smirking slightly at Ron and walking over to where the two redheads stood.

Ron jumped at the sound of Hermione's voice.

"Bloody hell woman, announce your presence next time! I almost had a heart attack!"

Hermione snorted and said "Next time? When were you planning on travelling back in time to meet Lily Evans and James Potter?"

Ron just went red and mumbled something unintelligible.

"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked, turning to Hermione.

Hermione just shrugged and said, "He was talking to Dumbledore when I left, I expect he'll be here shortly."

Ginny nodded and just as she did that, Harry walked out of the cubicle that they had all previously exited.

"Sorry, Dumbledore wasn't convinced that I was alright", Harry said, smiling slightly.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It's ok to feel scared or nervous Harry, you'll be meeting your parents for practically the first time, that's pretty big."

Harry just shrugged his shoulders but they could tell he was nervous.

"Right, let's get this show on the road then shall we?" Ginny said, clapping her hands together.

"Hermione, you cast the disillusionment charm on me and the books and then I'll go, you three follow me to Gryffindor Tower under the invisibility cloak but once I'm in, you go to the room of requirement, if I'm not back in an hour, Harry, you come find me and see what's happened. Got it?"

Hermione, Ron and Harry nodded their understanding.

Ginny nodded at the three and motioned for Hermione to cast the charm on her.

Once the charm was cast on Ginny and the other three were under Harry's invisibility cloak, Ginny motioned for them to follow her and put her finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.

They walked through the castle slowly on high alert but came across no one as all the students were at dinner.

Finally they made it to Gryffindor Tower and Ginny heard from behind her, "_Good luck and the password is 'Redcap', we'll see you in the room of requirement."_

Ginny moved towards the portrait of the Fat Lady and whispered the password to her. The Fat Lady looked around with narrowed eyes but had to admit entrance because whoever was there had said the password, so she swung open.

Ginny stepped through the portrait hole and cautiously made her way around the various pieces of furniture and up the stairs to the 6th year girls' dormitories.

She slipped into the dormitory and placed the books and message on Lily's bed. Then, she slipped back out of the room, moved cautiously back across the common room and out the portrait hole and then quickly and quietly ran all the way to the room of requirement.

Lily threw James, who was sitting directly across from her, a disgusted glance as she watched him shovel mashed potato into his mouth.

"Do you _ever _eat like a normal human being?" She said to him, horrified.

He just looked at her like she was mental and then shared a look with Sirius.

Lily just sighed and got up from the table.

"I'll see you later Al," She said to Alice who was busy conversing with Remus about Arithmancy.

She just waved without looking up and Lily walked out of the Great Hall to go back up to Gryffindor Tower.

The walk there was relatively quiet, there was only a few people milling around, walking to common rooms and the such after dinner.

Lily gave the password to the Fat Lady and made her way to her dorm. She was just planning on getting a book to read and going and curling up in front of the fire in the common room in one of the squashy armchairs. But instead, something colourful caught her eye on her bed. She moved closer and realised it was a stack of books with an envelope on the top. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion but gingerly picked up the envelope and opened it. She took out the note and read;

_Lily Evans,_

_This might be a little confusing for you but we really need your help._

_Please could you find and bring the following people to the room of requirement at the end of dinner;_

_James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Alice Smith, Frank Longbottom, Regulus Black, _

_Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore._

_This is a matter of urgency so you need to find these individuals as quickly as you can. Do not tell_

_anyone what you are doing and do not show these books to anyone, not even the individuals I_

_have asked you to bring._

_We await your arrival._

Lily stared at the note for a few second and then her brain kicked into action. She gathered up the books and put them in her schoolbag and picked up the message and ran down to the common room. Just as she got down there, Alice came through the portrait hole and walked over to Lily.

"Hey Lils, where you running off to? Surely not the Library?"

Lily just shook her head, grabbed Alice's hand and yanked her back through the portrait hole.

As they were running towards the Great Hall, Alice asked, "Lily, what the hell is going on? Decided you really can't deny James anymore?"

"No time to explain, need to find Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall!"

All heads in the Great Hall swiveled to watch the two girls running up to the staff table.

"Good evening Miss Evans, Miss Smith, how can I be of service tonight?" Professor Dumbledore asked, smiling expectantly at the two girls.

Lily just silently handed over the message for Professor Dumbledore to read. Dumbledore's eyebrows contracted a little bit as he finished reading and then handed the note to Professor McGonagall.

"Well..." Said Professor Dumbledore, "I suggest you go find these individuals and we'll go straight to the room of requirement now, I and Professor McGonagall will meet you all outside the room."

Lily and Alice nodded and went off to fetch everybody.

As they stood outside the room of requirement, Professor Dumbledore said, "I will go in first to make sure it is safe, the rest of you follow in close behind me."

They all nodded to show they understood.

Professor Dumbledore opened the door slowly and stepped into the room, wand aloft and the group of students and teacher close behind him.

The room had, of course, adjusted itself to their requirements. Today it sported several large, squashy-looking sofas placed around the room, a roaring fire in a large, ornate fireplace and three people stood in the corner of the room. Two girls and one boy.

"Who are you?" Dumbledore asked, his wand and Professor McGonagall's pointing at the three.

"We haven't come here to harm anyone, I'm Hermione Granger, this is Ginny Weasley and this is Ron Weasley."

"Weasley? As in Arthur Weasley?" James asked curiously, looking at the two redheads.

"The very same, we're his and Molly Prewett's Children", Ginny replied, keeping eye contact with James.

"That is not possible!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall, "Molly and Arthur only have two children, Bill and Charlie."

"Ok, we're going to have to tell them before we expected", Hermione sighed.

"Tell us what exactly Miss Granger?" Dumbledore enquired politely, lowering his wand.

"We're from the future, we used time turners to come back to this time because of your, " Hermione pointed at Lily and James, "Son."

"Ahh! So you finally did it Prongs, congratulations!" Sirius said with a smirk.

Lily and James just stared at each other in surprise and shock.

"Harry, you can come out now", Ginny said, seemingly to thin air.

Harry took a deep breath and stepped out from underneath the invisibility cloak.

There were gasps from around the room as there stood in front of them, a seemingly younger James but with bright green eyes behind rounded glasses.

"_Merlins pants!_" whispered James, who turned to look at Lily.

She was just staring at Harry like she had been struck dumb.

"Hey mum, dad", Harry said, smiling nervously at his parents.

Lily walked up to her son and looked at him for a few moments before wrapping him in a tight hug which he returned just as tightly.

"I suggest everyone take a seat so that these four can explain why they have taken the trouble to travel back in time and gather us all here." Dumbledore said, his periwinkle blue eyes twinkling at the scene in front of him.

Once everyone was seated, they looked at the four expectantly.

It was Hermione that spoke up first.

"Ok so we travelled back in time to meet you and ask for your help because we need to change things in the future, for you, for us, for future generations. Lily did you bring the books?" She asked, looking at Lily and Harry and smiling slightly.

Lily got them out of her schoolbag and handed them to Hermione.

"What are those?" Alice asked curiously.

"These", said Ginny, "are books about Harry's life starting around the time he was 1."

James looked at Harry and said, "You have books about your life?"

"Erm yeah, long story but uhh i'm kinda famous in our time..." Harry replied looking at his father uncomfortably.

"Famous? What for?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"All shall be revealed in good time i'm sure brother." Regulus said, rolling his eyes at his brothers' lack of patience.

Sirius just poked his tongue out at Regulus.

"Well now we all know why we're here, we need to start reading these books so you can all get a good idea at what Harry's life is like and hopefully you'll work out why we're trying to change the future." Hermione said.

"That sounds like an excellent idea Miss Granger." Dumbledore said, looking at the younger version of James curiously.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"So let me get this straight a minute? We've been dragged here to _read?"_ said Sirius in a tormented voice.

"Yes brother, that's usually what you do with books, not look at the pretty pictures…" said Regulus snidely.

"One more word out of you and I'll curse you!" Sirius replied threateningly.

"Give it a rest, both of you!" Ginny said, glaring at both of them.

The brothers had the good grace to look chastised.

"Right now that's finished shall we get on to reading?" Hermione said, slightly amused at the antic of the brothers and Ginny.

And with that she took the first book of the pile and read the book title.

"The Philosopher's stone? As in just a pebble or something that a Philosopher has picked up and wants to put in Gringotts because he thinks its rare?" said Alice, somewhat amused by the idea.

"No as in it has magical properties but all will be explained as we read, who would like to read first? What about you Professors?" asked Hermione politely.

Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall looked at each other and then Professor Dumbledore said, "I shall read if that is what you wish Miss Granger."

Hermione handed the book to Professor Dumbledore and he opened it to the first page.

"Now if everyone is ready, do we wish to begin?"

The group of students nodded.

"Chapter one, the boy who lived" Dumbledore started.

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**

Lily snorted and shook her head at that, "Why does it start off with Tuney and her walrus of a husband? If this is about my… our son then shouldn't it start off with me and Potter and Harry?"

The two redheads and Hermione just shrugged but Harry looked slightly uncomfortable that the book started with his aunt and uncle.

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**

"WHAT?" Screeched Lily, "Found out about the Potters? We're a secret now?"

"Mum… You'll see why when you hear the rest of it." Harry said quietly.

Lily just looked at her son for a moment, nodded and said, "Sorry Professor, carry on."

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

"Sounds like a charming boy", Remus commented dryly.

"Yes I'm not sure if I'd want my son mixing with the likes of that child either" James said, equally as dryly and glancing over at Lily who just smiled slightly in return.

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

"**Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house.**

**He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen – then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive – no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind.**

"Jeeze, attention span of a gnat much?" muttered Ron, eliciting several sniggers from the group of students.

**As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes – the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting for something… yes, that would be it.**

**The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills.**

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning.**

"Oh yes, just what everyone wants to concentrate on…drills…." Said Regulus scathingly.

"Erm quick question but what exactly are drills?" Frank asked.

"Well they're muggle electrical tools, they help build things" answered Lily.

**He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gaed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime.**

**Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.**

"Ok sorry for interrupting again but what are teleefown calls?" asked James in confusion.

"It's a muggle device", said Hermione while Lily said, "You can talk to people all over the world with telephones."

James just looked bewildered but nodded for Professor Dumbledore to carry on.

**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

"**The potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their son Harry."**

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister.**

"Love you too Tuney…" Lily muttered to herself.

**He didn't blame her – if he'd had a sister like that… but all the same, those people in cloaks…**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

"**Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell.**

**It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

"Well he sounds like an absolute delight to be around", Ron said.

Several people sniggered, including Harry.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw – and it didn't improve his mood – was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

"**Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behaviour? Mr. Dursley wondered.**

**Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally.**

**When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

"**And finally, bird watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

"**Well, Ted, " said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early – it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters…**

**Mrs Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. 'Er – Petunia, dear – you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?'**

**As he expected, Mrs Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

Lily looked indignant at this and muttered, "Charming!"

'**No,' she said sharply, 'why?'**

'**Funny stuff on the news,' Mr Dursley mumbled. 'Owls… Shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…'**

'**So?' snapped Mrs Dursley.**

'**Well, I just thought… maybe… it was something to do with… you know… her lot.'**

**Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'. He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, 'Their son – he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?'**

'**I suppose sp,' said Mrs Dursley stiffly.**

'**What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?'**

'**Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me.'**

'**Oh, yes,' said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. 'Yes, I quite agree.'**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down in to the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on. He yawned and turned over. It couldn't affect them…**

**How very wrong he was.**

**Mr Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

"Can't be a real cat then, must be a witch or wizard in their animagus form," reasoned Regulus.

"How would you know that?" Remus asked curiously.

"It's not in a real cats' nature to be so still for a long period of time meaning that that would not be a real cat," Regulus replied, looking thoughtful.

"Mr Black, how would you know this much about Animagi?" Professor McGonagall asked questioningly.

"I read a lot," he replied simply.

Sirius mock gasped and smirked at his brother.

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard. Which were both long enough to tuck into his belt.**

"That could only be you sir" James said to Dumbledore, laughing.

Dumbledore chuckled slightly and nodded his head and then continued reading.

**He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

All the students smirked at the way Dumbledore was described, even the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes seemed brighter.

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.**

"Oh I should think I would probably have known," Dumbledore said, interrupting himself and smiling serenely.

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realise he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, 'I should have known.' He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

"A deluminator!" James crowed in excitement to Sirius and Remus who both looked equally as excited as him.

Dumbledore surveyed the three boys over the top of his half-moon glasses with raised eyebrows and a small smile.

"How do you three know about the deluminator, may I ask?"

"Oh, well, you know us, sir, we have out ways, " Sirius said, smiling mysteriously.

Dumbledore continued looking at them for a moment before deciding that he probably didn't want to know, so he carried on reading.

**He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left in the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

'**Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall.'**

Everyone except Dumbledore looked at McGonagall in shock.

"You're an animagus Professor?" asked Lily.

"Well yes, so it seems Miss Evans." Replied McGonagall.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

'**How did you know it was me?' she asked.**

'**My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly.'**

'**You'D be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day,' said Professor McGonagall.**

'**All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and partis on my way here.'**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

'**Oh yes, everyone's celebrating all right,' she said impatiently. 'You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news.' She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. 'I heard it. Flocks of owls… Shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense.'**

'**You can't blame them,' said Dumbledore gently. 'We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years.'**

'**I know that,' said Professor McGonagall irritably. 'But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours.'**

McGonagall just glared at him sternly, but James ignored it.

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbeldore here, as thought hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on: 'A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really **_**has **_**gone, Dumbledore?'**

'**It certainly seems so,' said Dumbledore. 'We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?'**

'**A **_**what**_**?'**

'**A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of.'**

'**No, thank you,' said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for sherbet lemons. 'As I say, even if You-Know-Who **_**has **_**gone – '**

'**My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this "You-Know-Who" nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: **_**Voldemort**_**.'**

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Lily said quickly.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all snorted and burst out laughing.

"What?" asked Lily confusedly.

"Hermione said exactly the same thing at the start of our second year to Lucius Malfoy and his son, Draco." Explained Ron, chuckling.

"Oh," said Lily, laughing slightly.

"Someone slept with that slimeball?" asked Regulus and Sirius at the same time, with identical looks of revulsion on their faces.

"Yeah, his wife, Narcissa." Hermione said, shuddering slightly.

This caused Regulus and Sirius to burst in to laughter.

"That's so gross, even I didn't think Cissy would sink so low," said Regulus, still laughing.

Dumbledore continued to read once the laughter had died down.

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbeldore, who was unsticking two sherbet lemons, seemed not to notice.**

'**It all gets so confusing if we keep saying "You-Know-Who". 'I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.'**

'**I know you haven't,' said Professor McGonagall, sounding half-exasperated, half-admiring. 'But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know – Oh, all right, **_**Voldemort**_** – was frightened of.**

'**You flatter me,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'Voldemort had powers I will never have.'**

'**Only because you're too – well – **_**noble**_** to use them.'**

'**It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.'**

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, 'The owls are nothing to the rumours that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he disappeared? About what finally stopped him?'**

Everyone sat up a little straighter and the four time-travellers exchanged glances. This would be uncomfortable.

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.**

'**What they're saying,' she pressed on, 'is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – **_**dead.'**_

Dumbledore stopped reading and surveyed the reactions in the room.

Lily had turned a deathly shade of white and was staring at James, who was equally as pale. Sirius had his head in his hands, as did Remus. Alice, Frank and Regulus were staring at Lily, James and Harry. Professor McGonagall had her hand over her eyes and was crying. Ginny and Hermione had tears in their eyes, Ron was looking at Harry with sadness and Harry was sitting between Lily and James gripping their hand tightly and staring at the floor.

Dumbledore himself felt deeply saddened at this revelation. Two of his best, most exceptional students.

Lily was the first to speak.

"So, we die." She said quietly.

"Yeah," Harry said, looking at his mum. "I was one when it happened."

A tear slipped down her cheek and she said, "So you must have gone to Petunia and Vernon which is why they're at Privet Drive?"

Harry just nodded.

Lily pulled him in to a hug and found James' hand to hold, which she did so, tightly.

They all sat in silence for a good ten minutes, digesting the revelation.

Finally, Dumbledore said, "Is everyone ready to carry on?"

They all nodded.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

'**Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…'**

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. 'I know… I know…' he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. 'That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potters' son, Harry.'**

"My son!" James thundered.

"Mr Potter,' said Dumbledore gently, "I suggest I keep reading to get this bit over and done with."

James just nodded, still looking murderous.

'**But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone.'**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

'**It's – it's **_**true**_**?' faltered Professor McGonagall. 'After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?'**

'**We can only guess,' said Dumbledore. 'We may never know.'**

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dapped at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, 'Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?'**

'**Yes,' said Professor McGonagall. 'And I don't suppose you're going to tell me **_**why **_**you're here, of all places?'**

'**I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now.'**

'**You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live **_**here**_**?' cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to , couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've a son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!'**

'**It's the best place for him,' said Dumbledore firmly. 'His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written a letter.'**

'**A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in future – there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!'**

'**Exactly,' said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. 'It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?'**

'That's not strictly true,' Harry said, 'I remember flashes of green light from that night and when a dementor was near me in my third year, I could hear mum screaming.'

'Green light… at least it was quick and painless.' Lily muttered.

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, 'Yes – yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here Dumbledore?' she eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

'**Hagrid's bringing him.'**

'**You think it – **_**wise – **_**to trust Hagrid with something as important as his?'**

'**I would trust Hagrid with my life,' said Dumbledore.**

'**I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place,' said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, 'but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to – what was that?'**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

**If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so **_**wild**_** – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

'**Hagrid,' said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. 'At last. And where did you get that motorbike?'**

'**Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir,' said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. 'Young Sirius Black lent it me. I've got him sir.'**

'Cool! I have a motorbike! And it flies!' Sirius said excitedly, looking at James.

James grinned at him whilst Harry said, 'Yeah, I've ridden on it, it's amazing, although a few modifications have been made since you had it Padfoot.'

'What kind of modifications? And how do you know our nicknames?' Sirius asked curiously.

'Erm there's a button that if you press it, it emits dragon fire and goes at an incredible speed and well everyone in the Order of the Phoenix knows about your nicknames, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. I'm James' son, did you really expect me not to know anything about the marauders?' Harry said laughing.

Sirius, James and Remus all looked at the four time-travellers in shock but said nothing in return, so Dumbledore carried on reading.

'**No problems, were there?'**

'**No sir – house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol.'**

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

'Curious,' Dumbledore said, interrupting himself, 'would you mind if I looked?'

'Not at all,' Harry said, lifting the hair off his forehead and showing him the lightning shaped scar.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment but then went back to the book.

'**Is that where - ?' whispered Professor McGonagall.**

'**Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'He'll have that scar for ever.'**

'**Couldn't you do something about it Dumbledore?'**

'**Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well – give him here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with.'**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursleys' house.**

'**Could I – could I say goodbye to him, sir?' asked Hagrid.**

**He betn his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

'**Shhh!' hissed Professor McGonagall. 'You'll wake the Muggles!'**

'**S – s – sorry,' sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. 'But I c – c – can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles – '**

'**Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found,' Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and then twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

'**Well,' said Dumbledore finally, 'that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations.'**

'**Yeah,' said Hagrid in a very muffled voice. 'I'd best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir.'**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

'**I shall see you soon, I expect.' Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

'**Good luck, Harry,' he murmered. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours time by Mrs Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley… he couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!'**

'That is the end of the chapter,' Dumbledore announced.

'Well that was… interesting…' Regulus muttered.

A few people nodded in agreement.

'A lot to take in isn't it?' Alice asked rhetorically.

After another moment, a few people started conversations of their own about the events in the book.

Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore watched them for a moment before McGonagall clapped her hands together once and said, 'right, let's get back to reading shall we?'

Everyone nodded and got comfortable in their seats while McGonagall took the book from Dumbledore and opened it to the next chapter.


End file.
